Location: WAYNE, Michigan

Surrounded by the rushing waters of the Detroit River, Belle Isle is no stranger to the enjoyment people can find from water recreation. The original development of Belle Isle Park's rivers and boating areas is discussed in a report by Frederick Law Olmsted, then America's premiere landscape architect, in his proposal for Detroit in November of 1882. In his original plan for Belle Isle, Olmsted discusses...

Fed up with her husband's insistence that a family garden was a waste of time and money, in the spring of 1884 a strong-minded housewife wrote a letter to the Household supplement of the Michigan Farmer and State Journal of Agriculture on the importance of gardens to the health of her family. "The man who 'hasn't time' to make a garden," she wrote angrily, "says he has not time to attend to one of...

In 1882, Frederick Law Olmstead, a landscape architect and designer of fifteen previous parks, was invited to take a look at a newly purchased property in Detroit, MI. As the designer of the first municipal park in America, he is considered the father of landscape architecture. With his pioneering expertise cultivated through years of follow-up work, Olmstead wrote an explanation for future planning...

The average temperature in Detroit on a January day is 24.5 degrees Fahrenheit—well below freezing. The Detroit River, the natural barrier between Windsor, Ontario and Detroit, Michigan, would often freeze up and interrupt shipments between the trading partners. Shipping vessels could only be hopeful for an “open” winter. Even then, ships could take upwards of two hours to cross the river, leaving...

Up until 1889, the only way for people to cross over to Belle Isle from Detroit was by ferry, and a fare was required to board the boat. A bridge was then constructed that allowed visitors to walk or drive over to reach the park. While still in the planning stages, there was much debate over who should build, and then subsequently own, the bridge. Popular opinion was, by and large, in favor of the...

Across West Jefferson Avenue in Delray lies the mysterious Zug Island. On Google Maps, it is a dark mass of land covered with heavy industry factories and black smog. In person, one can only view Zug Island from afar. The privately owned island is off limits to the public and there is little known about what occurs on the island. In contrast to Zug Island’s hazy present, the island had much more...

Harpers Weekly devoted a large part of its August 17, 1889 issue to the upcoming Detroit International Exposition Fair, which would open exactly one month later on September 17, 1889. Included in their spread was an engraving by Francis Schell and Thomas Hogan, bearing the caption, “General View of the Buildings and Grounds of the Detroit International Fair and Exposition.” The engraving is...

During the warmer summer months in the late 1800s, Detroit experienced an influx of visitors and tourists who needed guidance on locating the more interesting city locales and landmarks. As a solution, The Detroit Free Press published this article in May of 1886 to offer assistance to the "intelligent excursionists to [the] old city" who wished to see the historic sites that Detroit had to offer. This...

The Detroit International Exposition and Fair Project of 1889 was an exciting year for all of Delray. Pre-automobile industry times allowed room for diverse businesses, a glowing point well showcased in the Exposition. The fair was a healthy combination of agricultural and industrial. Displays of livestock, musicians, art galleries, and new technology surrounded the exposition’s main building, the...

Col. Philetus W. Norris was central in the development of the land that would later become North East Detroit. From 1865 to 1877 he burned the candle at both ends by constantly selling property while facilitating the expansion of the railroad into the territory he was helping to settle. Norris impressed potential buyers with his eloquent speech, military background, and wide-ranging personal interests. ...